A New Beginning
by Rei3
Summary: A girl life is changed after she moved to Shohoku with help from the Shohoku gang. Oh, it's Non-Yaoi.
1. Default Chapter

A NEW BEGINNING  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Kazuha looked up the tall building in front of her, ignoring the stream of students around her.  
  
Shohoku high school. I'll probably last at the most a month in here.  
  
Drawing a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and walked… straight into the back of a very tall, red headed guy. She staggered momentarily before falling down.  
  
She picked herself up and walked away as if nothing had happened.  
  
The boy, who didn't move an inch when she crashed into him, spun around with his eyes blazing shouted after her, "Hey! There's a word called 'sorry' you know!"  
  
She stopped and without turning said emotionlessly, "Gomen…do'aho."  
  
And continued on her way, leaving a speechless but fuming Sakuragi Hanamichi behind her.  
  
******  
  
Sakuragi was still fuming when the Gundam gang caught up with him.  
  
"What's wrong Sakuragi? You looked ready to explode!"  
  
"Yea, I bet you had a run in with Rukawa - poor you, on the first day of school too."  
  
"No! I haven't meet the kitsune yet - and don't mention him or I'm going to get even madder."  
  
"No chance of him getting crazier than he already is," whispered Takamiya to Yohei. They sweatdropped as suddenly a thunderous Sakuragi loomed before them.  
  
They both ended up with a bump each after Sakuragi headbutted them.  
  
"So what's your reason for being angry early in the morning Sakuragi?" asked Yohei while rubbing his steaming forehead. The rest of the gundam nodded, wanting to know.  
  
"Well you see there was this girl - serious, bookish type - who bumped into me. She -"  
  
"I know! She didn't apologized!" this from Noma.  
  
He got headbutted.  
  
"Will you let me finish! And you, Yuji, do want one too?!" Sakuragi turned to the only member of the Gundam gang without a lump on his forehead. Yuji who was in the process of opening his mouth to make comment wisely closed it and shook his head quickly. "No? Thank you!"  
  
"As I was saying, she didn't apologized - "  
  
"You didn't say that - you only said that she bumped into you -"  
  
"Arrrrrggggghhhhh!"  
  
Midway of the thrashing, Sakuragi suddenly stopped and slowly his cheeks went pink. The reason came skipping lightly towards them.  
  
"Ha-Haruko-chan."  
  
"Ohayougozaimasu!" The sweet girl announced cheerfully.  
  
"Ohayo, Haruko-chan!!" They replied with Sakuragi scratching his head in a bashful way while the others picked themselves up.  
  
"So spirited early in the morning - I guess I can correctly assume that you're ready for basketball this year, aren't I'm right, Sakuragi-kun?," she enquired.  
  
"Yes, yes, of course you're right Haruko-chan," answered Sakuragi who could not see anything wrong with Haruko at all.  
  
"No, it was because of this girl…," Takamiya stopped as Sakuragi glared at him.  
  
"Girl? Oh! Sakuragi, you better tell me all about her," said Haruko winking at Sakuragi, obviously jumping to the conclusion that Sakuragi had met a girl he liked.  
  
"No Haruko-chan! It's not like that!" Sakuragi exclaimed loudly, distressed should that his lovely Haruko be upset at the idea. (snort)  
  
"How else can it be?" she puzzled and the gundam gang nodded simultaneously at her question.  
  
"I guess I'll start at the beginning - without interruption," he glared at the gundam. They shrugged noncommittedly.  
  
"Well this girl bumped into me but she didn't apologized -"  
  
"Probably fainted in terror at the sight of you," the gundam snickered. They sweatdropped when Sakuragi gave them a glance full of retribution. He couldn't very well start a fight in front of Haruko, so he continued.  
  
"I had to wrestle the apology out of her," the gundam raised their eyebrows. "Metaphorically! And not only that, she had the nerve to call me a do'aho! Can you believe that!" His voice was rising in volume with every word in the last sentence.  
  
"I find it hard to believe that some girl had the courage to call you 'do'aho' within your earshot." Takamiya commented. The other gundams nodded in agreement.  
  
"Nani!!! You don't believe the tensai?!"  
  
"Everybody! Run!" shouted Yuji seeing that Sakuragi was turning bright red.  
  
"Nobody can call me a liar!"  
  
With a loud roar, Sakuragi chased after them into the school building, leaving a trail of smoke and a giggling Haruko.  
  
Crash! T'buk! She turned and her eyes immediately turned heart-shaped at the sight of Rukawa Kaede, although at the moment he was sprawled undignifiedly beside his bicycle. He brushed his trousers lightly before putting his bicycle into the bike rack.  
  
"O-ohayo, Rukawa-kun," Haruko greeted him shyly with her cheeks colouring.  
  
He glanced uninterestedly at her for a moment before replying "Ohayo."  
  
Haruko nearly fainted in happiness.  
  
The school bell rang.  
  
Thus, this was how the second term of high school for Sakuragi, the gundam, Haruko, Rukawa and not to mention Kazuha, the new girl, started.  
  
*****  
  
"Class, I would like you to meet a new student. Please introduce yourself."  
  
"I'm Mitsuhito Kazuha." She stared at the teacher, obviously not attempting to go further than that.  
  
"… Err, and that's it I guess. You can sit next to Akagi Haruko," he pointed to an empty seat besides a pretty browned hair girl with a smiling face.  
  
Kazuha walked towards the seat ignoring the stares she got. The girl named Haruko gave her a friendly smile as she seated herself.  
  
"Hi! As you know I'm Haruko, and let me be the first to welcome you to Shohoku High," she extended her hand.  
  
Kazuha stared at the hand for a long time before touching the tip of Haruko's fingers for a fraction of a second.  
  
"You're going to love it here! Kazuha-chan, if you don't mind me calling you that, do you?" Haruko whispered as the subject teacher arrived.  
  
Kazuha merely shrugged slightly. Haruko smiled before turning to face the front of the class. The lesson started and Kazuha immediately filed Haruko with the rest of insignificant matters into the back of her head.  
  
*****  
  
Rrrriiiingggg!!!  
  
"Finally! I'm starving and it seems like hours after I've had my breakfast," sighed Haruko while rubbing her tummy. "Are you coming Kazuha- chan? No? Why, you must be hungry too. Let's go!" she looked expectantly at Kazuha.  
  
"No."  
  
"But I want to introduce you to-"  
  
"Haruko-chan!" The bellow stopped short her sentence. It was Sakuragi and the gundam.  
  
"Sakuragi-kun! Hi!" Haruko waved her hand cheerfully. She also greeted the others.  
  
"I-I-want to see if-if you w-would like to go to the c-cafeteria with us," Sakuragi stammered while blushing furiously, his eyes staring at his shoes. He raised his eyes to see Haruko's response before dropping them. Eh?! He raised them again and scowled at the person behind Haruko.  
  
"You! What are you doing in Haruko-chan's class!"  
  
"It's her class too Sakuragi-kun."  
  
"Nani?!"  
  
"Um-hm, she's new, today's her first day in Shohoku and I was planning to introduce her to everyone."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"She refused," Haruko turned towards Kazuha with a hopeful look.  
  
"No."  
  
"Hey new girl! Nobody says no to Haruko wants!"  
  
"She has a name Sakuragi-kun, it's Kazuha - Mitsuhito Kazuha to be exact. Isn't it such a cute name?"  
  
At that point Sakuragi was in a dilemma, "I-err-ah-well-"  
  
Haruko who was slow at catching up with things finally realised something and asked Sakuragi, "Sakuragi-kun, do you know her? You seemed to know her well."  
  
"She's probably the girl he told us about," said Yohei, lending his voice to the conversation as Sakuragi looked quite stuck with words.  
  
"Eh? How you know?"  
  
"Well you wouldn't react so strongly to a girl except if she had done something to anger you or caught your interest." Sakuragi turned even redder at the pointed reminder of his infatuation with Haruko. He glared at Yohei.  
  
"I'm sure she didn't mean it. She was just nervous and probably quite shy at the prospect of meeting new people and new environment." Haruko defended Kazuha.  
  
"Of course! Of course! I forgive her already!"  
  
"I know you did Sakuragi-kun, you're a nice person."  
  
"Err, you guys, don't you think it's rude to speak of a person as if she 's not there?" Noma pointed out.  
  
"Oh dear! I'm so sorry Kazuha-chan…." Her words died down.  
  
Everyone turned to look. Kazuha, who feeling annoyed at being the topic of the conversation, at some point had tuned them out and was at the moment fast asleep.  
  
*****  
  
"She must be tired. Look at those circles under her eyes, I think she must have been really nervous, she didn't get enough sleep last night. Poor girl."  
  
"Ceh! Bad timing to sleep - in the middle of break time. Better wake her up now Haruko-chan or the teacher will be cross if he finds out."  
  
"Maybe later, a few minutes before break ends. You know Sakuragi-kun, since I couldn't quite introduce her to everyone now, I was thinking that maybe I can bring her to basketball practice later to meet the team."  
  
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Haruko-chan," commented Yuji. "Ya, ya" everyone else seconded.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I don't think she wants to meet anyone, after all didn't she refuse your offer just now?"  
  
"Maybe she'll accept this one."  
  
"Maybe," but don't hold your breath waiting "Well, are you coming with us Haruko-chan?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Let's go then."  
  
*****  
  
"Umm, ano…Kazuha-chan, I was wondering if you would like to go with me to basketball practice later?"  
  
"…"  
  
"You don't have to go if you don't want to."  
  
"…No."  
  
"Ah well then, maybe some other time then. Ja ne"  
  
"…"  
  
*****  
  
"She said no."  
  
"Figures.." Sakuragi muttered under his breath.  
  
"I'm going to ask her again tomorrow Sakuragi-kun."  
  
"Eh? But Haruko-chan, why bother? I mean it's obvious she not the social type - she's a loner and probably prefers to be that way too."  
  
"I know."  
  
"???"  
  
"Which is why I'm trying to befriend her. It must be a lonely life and so sad too. After I'm done, she's going to be the warmest and friendliest person around!"  
  
With that she skipped away towards the bench to sit with Ayako, cheer the team and make starry eyes at Rukawa. Sakuragi who couldn't get angry at Haruko merely sighed, scowled at Rukawa and started practice. 


	2. Chp 2

A NEW BEGINNING  
  
Chapter 2  
  
  
  
It had been a week since she first came to Shohoku High. Her life with her grandparents was falling into routine. Wake up at seven every morning, have a silent breakfast with her grandparents, go to school, go home, eat, drink, sleep.  
  
She wondered how long it would stay that way until she was shifted to yet another relative, if there were any who didn't yet have her to be burdened with. A burden, that was who she was, an unwanted relative - the product of a disapproved marriage between two young, irresponsible people called her parents. They were always bickering and fighting and shouting, which finally stopped when she was three, the age when they were killed in an accident.  
  
From then onwards, she was moved from one relative to another, all her aunts or uncles but never her grandparents until now. Her newest guardians didn't want anything to do with her as to them she resembled their daughter, her mother, too much. They only looked at her outwards appearance - which was very similar to her mother and assumed she would grow up to be like her mother too.  
  
Her grandparents accepted the responsibility for her as there were no one else willing to take her in - the last one was going to marry again and her soon-to-be-hubby didn't like having a kid around while her grandparents from her father's side had long departed to the next world before she was even alive.  
  
Kazuha walked aimlessly, soaking up the morning rays. She was feeling quite depressed and restless lately. Her life seems empty, her only goal in life was to be the best in her study, to show everyone that she was not her parents all over again, but beyond that it was…empty. Yet it was full too, full of all her emotions wanting to break out of the dam she had built all these years, to keep from being hurt and vulnerable to whatever life throws at her.  
  
She stopped, hearing an unfamiliar sound. It came from somewhere around the corner in front and wanting to keep her mind away, however briefly, from the depression and restlessness, she walked towards the origin of the sound.  
  
A red headed boy, the one from school was dribbling an orange ball in a court, while watched by a group of mismatched misfits. Sakuragi, yes that was his name if she remembered correctly.  
  
Suddenly, he jumped high and with a loud roar, slammed the ball into the hoop at the end of the court. Kazuha, who was quite hidden behind some tall trees nearby, let out a gasp.  
  
In all her life, she had never seen such raw power being released before. She replayed the dunk in a slow motion again and again in her mind. Something within her responded and unfurled slowly until it burst into a realisation.  
  
Basketball.  
  
A loud nerve-grating laughter broke her out of her reverie. "Nyahahahahahahaha! The tensai has scored again!"  
  
A sweating Sakuragi was standing under the hoop with his hands on his hips looking rather smug while the misfits - which she now remembered from school also - cheered him loudly.  
  
"Kazuha-chan! Fancy meeting you here!"  
  
Oh no… it's that annoying girl again. She turned slightly towards the owner of the chirpy voice and tilted her head briefly in greeting.  
  
Meanwhile, Haruko was feeling rather pleased with herself for catching Kazuha unaware while she was watching the basketball practice.  
  
"Now that you have seen Sakuragi play, maybe you will be tempted to come to the next basketball practice at the school gym. They practice everyday you know."  
  
Kazuha shrugged and with a brief "Ja" walked away leaving Haruko looking confused at her.  
  
Basketball…  
  
*****  
  
The next day after school. The Shohoku gym.  
  
The gym was empty except for one solitary black-haired figure shooting balls into the hoop. Kazuha watched as he made a smooth dunk and clung to the hoop before gracefully landing on his feet. The guy glanced at her for a moment before ignoring her and continuing with his shots.  
  
Seeing that the guy obviously regarded her as being insignificant, Kazuha walked towards the basketball rack and picked up a ball. She threw it to the floor and caught it as it bounced back up. She did this repeatedly, trying to emulate the dribble she watched Sakuragi made the day before.  
  
A hand appeared out of nowhere and snatched the ball in mid-bounce and with a quick movement, dribbled it away from her and into the hoop. It was Sakuragi.  
  
"Nyahahahahahahaha! Now you know the power of the tensai!" he announced looking rather smug.  
  
"Baka."  
  
"Nani?! You dare call me that!!! Who is the baka here huh?! You don't even know how to dribble!"  
  
She shrugged and picked up another ball, ignoring him. Sakuragi, who was used to commanding attention due to if not his brash attitude, then his height, or his hair, was fuming. How dare she ignored the tensai! I'll show her the power of the tensai!  
  
But before he could steal the ball from Kazuha, a loud squeal sounded from the gym's entrance.  
  
"Kazuha-chan! You're here! I knew you would come!" Haruko rushed to her side and dragged the taller girl to the bench. "I knew you would come" she repeated, "after I saw you yesterday."  
  
"Ya, I saw her yesterday watching you practice your dunk Sakuragi-kun." She told a bewildered Sakuragi.  
  
"Then you already know the power of the tensai! Nyahahahahahahaha!"  
  
Prak! A paper fan landed on the top of Sakuragi head. A pretty girl with curly hair under her cap retreated her hand. "What are you doing laughing like a maniac, go practice now!"  
  
Amazingly, Kazuha watched Sakuragi did as was told.  
  
By that time, the whole of the Shohoku basketball team was already there. Haruko immediately introduced Kazuha to everyone, who was rather curious of the new girl.  
  
"You're rather tall for a girl, Kazuha-chan." Ryota, a short guy with buns shaped hair, commented. A paper fan landed on his head. "What was that for?!"  
  
"For being rude!" replied the pretty girl, who was introduced as Ayako to Kazuha. She was also the team manager.  
  
"I'm Mitsui," another guy smoothly introduced himself, "It's a pleasure to meet you. On the behalf of the team, I would like to say that we welcome any new addition especially if it's such a pretty girl as you - it's quite boring having Ayako - Hey!" Quickly he moved away from Ayako and laughed at her red face.  
  
"That one is Rukawa Kaede," sigh "he's a super rookie" sigh "and a very good player," said Haruko breathlessly, pink hearts appearing in her eyes.  
  
"And as you probably know, Sakuragi Hanamichi is the loud one," said Ayako seeing that Haruko was at the moment too busy sighing at Rukawa.  
  
"My brother's in the team too," said Haruko proudly, "He's the team captain - there he is!" She pointed to a very tall, dark-skinned guy with an afro haircut who had just entered the gym.  
  
Kazuha lifted one of her eyebrows slightly in skepticism but remained silent. Ayako, who didn't quite know how to react to her aloofness, invited her to sit at the bench.  
  
"Do you play basketball, Kazuha-chan?" asked Ayako.  
  
"No."  
  
"…Uh, do you want to?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"I could show you some pointers!" Haruko said excitedly. She immediately picked up a ball and showed Kazuha how to dribble it. The she tossed it to Kazuha who caught it on reflex.  
  
"You got a quick reflex and with your height, we can make a basketball player out of you," commented Ayako.  
  
Kazuha merely shrugged and started to dribble the ball as taught by Haruko. She made a few mistakes at first but soon got the hang of it.  
  
Fast learner too, thought Ayako.  
  
The team stopped after practicing for half an hour to have a short break and they took the chance to watch the new girl learned under Haruko tutelage. Akagi stepped in seeing that Haruko only knew some of the basics. He showed Kazuha other basic stuff about basketball. Miyagi, Mitsui and Sakuragi soon joined in, not wanting to be left out. Pretty soon, the basketball practice became basketball class for Kazuha.  
  
Prak! Prak! Prak! Prak! Ayako's paper fan landed on top of almost every player, reminding them the real purpose of being there.  
  
"Sorry to spoil the fun Kazuha, but we're going to have a practice game with Ryonan in roughly six weeks time - they're sort of our biggest rival. If you really wanted to learn basketball, you can come here on weekends when we have some free time to teach you. Anyway, the stuff they showed you is probably too much for you to take in all at once."  
  
And so Kazuha practiced under Haruko's supervision while Shohoku basketball team continued their practice.  
  
  
  
*****  
  
Basketball… it's amazing how I never noticed it before. The release of power and tension.  
  
The corners of her lips lifted for a fraction of a second. She looked back at the school's gym before walking home, feeling as if the emptiness inside her had been filled and all her emotions been let free.  
  
Basketball…  
  
*****  
  
Ayako watched as the tall girl walked away. She frowned, her brain at the moment was busy trying to figure out the puzzle that was called Mitsuhito Kazuha.  
  
Practice was over and everyone was either resting on the floor or sitting on the bench, all trying to regain their breath. Haruko had already gone home shortly before Kazuha left.  
  
"What is it Aya-chan? Something seems to be worrying you? Is it the team?" asked Ryota, noticing her deep frown.  
  
"No no it's not that. I was just thinking… Miyagi-san, do you notice something familiar about that girl?"  
  
"Kazuha-chan?"  
  
"Umhm."  
  
"Well, I noticed that Haruko seemed to be very excited around her and wants to show her everything."  
  
"Yes, I noticed that too and it has to do with what I'm thinking."  
  
"Tell us then Ayako!" Demanded Sakuragi, after hearing Haruko's name.  
  
Ayako's eyes slid briefly over to Rukawa before turning them back to the rest of the team. "Maybe later."  
  
"Hey I want to know now!" The others nodded in agreement.  
  
"I don't think now is the right time."  
  
"But-"  
  
"I'm sure Ayako-san has good reasons." Everyone (with the exception of Rukawa) stared in astonishment at Anzai-sensei, the one who spoke out. "Ho ho ho, don't let it bother you. Why don't everyone go home and get a well- deserved rest."  
  
After that, they packed up their things and went back home to do what Anzai- sensei had just told hem.  
  
*****  
  
Rukawa could sense Ayako's eyes resting on him momentarily at the gym. She probably thought that no one was watching when she did so but he could feel it.  
  
And he had a good guess for why she had done so.  
  
It probably involved the new girl. The one with brown hair and black eyes. The one who was taller than the average girl. He noticed her alright, although he didn't know why he had when he had never before took any notice of any girl. She was so still, as still as a statue and held herself rigidly.  
  
She reminded him of…himself.  
  
Nobody noticed it but the corner of his eyes followed her every movement since she entered the gym. He had seen the wonder showed so briefly that no one would have seen it if they haven't looked closely. That look appeared when she first picked up a ball.  
  
Mitsuhito Kazuha… Kazuha.  
  
It's going to be interesting seeing you bloom. 


	3. Chp 3

A NEW BEGINNING  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
"So Ayako-san, what is it that has been plaguing your mind about Kazuha?" asked Sakuragi.  
  
It has been three days since Kazuha came to basketball practice. She had been coming since then and the team sort of took her in as a new player and taught her something new each day. At the moment; Sakuragi, the gundam, Ayako and Miyagi were walking to school together. Sakuragi and the gundam met Ayako accidently and later on Miyagi, who was following Ayako.  
  
"Yes yes, what is it?" the gundam seconded. Miyagi only nodded while rubbing his steaming head compliments of Ayako's paper fan.  
  
"Well... I did say that she reminds me of someone didn't I? Think hard guys, the answer is actually so easy!"  
  
"AH!" exclaimed Ryota excitedly. "It's him isn't it, Ayako-chan?"  
  
Ayako merely smiled and nodded.  
  
"Oh…." The gundam got it now.  
  
While Sakuragi, "What! What is it? Come on! Tell me!"  
  
"So that's why Haruko was acting so fussy around her all this time," said Noma.  
  
"Hey! Will somebody tell me what the hell is going on!" He was feeling quite bewildered and frustated by then.  
  
"Think hard Sakuragi, and the answer will come to you. In fact here he comes now."  
  
Sakuragi gaped in astonishment as a sleeping Rukawa came into sight on his bicycle. He was jerked awake as he crashed into Sakuragi and landed on top of Ryota while his long suffering bicycle laid on it's side on top of Sakuragi.  
  
"Baka Kitsune!"  
  
Rukawa picked up his bicycle and stopped momentarily before entering the school, "Do'aho"  
  
"Argh! Wait till I get my hands on you!" It took all the gundam and Ryota to hold him down.  
  
"See it now Sakuragi?" asked Ayako calmly.  
  
"You don't mean him do you?"  
  
"Surely you can see the resemblance."  
  
"After all didn't she call you do'aho on the first day of school. Just like him." Yohei interjected.  
  
"Well… now that you guys mention it she does act like him. Waitaminute! You don't mean that's why Haruko-chan… noooooo! They're both girls!"  
  
Prak! "Not like that, you baka. Such a dirty imagination. Haruko probably hasn't realised the real reason for her behaviour around Kazuha - maybe her subconcsious does, so perhaps it's confused and instructing Haruko to behave as she behaved around Rukawa."  
  
"But I don't see her go all girly and giggly and stuff like that around Kazuha."  
  
"Maybe her subconcsious realised the difference in gender, and is altering her behaviour to accommodate the change," Yohei provided.  
  
"Hai hai," the others agreed.  
  
"Ohayo everyone! Why all looking so serious today?"  
  
"Ha-Haruko-chan! Ohayo!" replied (as you guessed it) Sakuragi with a blush.  
  
"Ohayo Haruko-chan. It was nothing, we were just talking about Kazuha- chan," Prak! A lump formed on top of Takamiya head.  
  
"Ho ho ho! Nothing interesting… just stuff," said a slightly embarassed Ayako, fanning her face.  
  
"Kazuha-chan?" then a sigh came out of her mouth, "She is such a cool person. She can do anything she sets her mind on - so smart in class too, although I don't know how she managed that, sleeping between lessons."  
  
"Eh? She sleeps in class too? Hey! Just like-" Prak! Another one landed on Takamiya's head.  
  
"Can't you keep your big mouth shut," said Ayako through gritted teeth.  
  
"Yes, she sleeps in class - not all the time. Usually it's during break time and she looked so tired that I don't have the heart to wake her up after break's over. Ah well, ja ne, see you guys later at practice!" With that, she ran lightly away, her hand waving cheerfully at them.  
  
"Noooooo! My life is ruined now! There's not just one but TWO kitsunes now!" Sakuragi bent over at the waist with his hands covering his face in a dramatic show of anguish. He straightened when he saw Kazuha coming from the other way and pointed, "You! You Haruko-stealer!"  
  
Kazuha barely gave him a glance at his accusation but continued on her way.  
  
"Do'aho… Red monkey."  
  
"Don't mind her Sakuragi," Yohei soothed his best friend.  
  
"Aiii! Life's certainly going to be interesting," commented Miyagi. The others nodded, it certainly will be.  
  
*****  
  
"Not like that, like this," instructed Miyagi. He showed her the correct way to hold the ball.  
  
Kazuha silently followed his hands movements. Taking a deep breath, she passed the ball from one hand to the other repeatedly and with sudden movement, eluded him and shot a slightly clumsy three pointer. The ball spun on the rim for a few seconds before going into the hoop.  
  
"Yosh! That was fantastic Kazuha-chan!" Haruko jumped up and down. "Only four weeks practice and you're playing as good as anyone else in the team. Well, almost."  
  
Akagi, Miyagi, Mitsui and Sakuragi huffed and puffed, feeling proud of themselves. Every one of them taught her something of their own, and the end product was a mixture of everyone. By normal standards, anyone should have only taken in less than half of what have been taught to Kazuha. But she had a determined look about her and she practiced intensely if not with the team, by herself.  
  
She also looked less uptight and her movements were more relaxed - although her vocabulary remained limited. Sakuragi had also given her a nickname (since he couldn't call her kitsune - it would be too confusing having 2 kitsunes running around), so he called her "aisu" (ice) to get a reaction out of her - but Kazuha being Kazuha ignored him.  
  
Rukawa, to the surprise and amazement of everyone, had approached her one day when she repeatedly made a mistake and showed her how it was supposed to be done.  
  
As a whole, it seemed that the team had adopted Mitsuhito Kazuha. Even Anzai-Sensei accepted her, he looked into her eyes and without a word merely nodded when she came for the second time to the basketball practice.  
  
"Kazuha-chan! There's someone to meet you!" shouted Ayako from the entrance of the gym.  
  
Kazuha wiped her sweat with a towel and made her way towards where Ayako was standing. It was her grandmother, she looked pale and frail at the moment, not the formidable woman she always was.  
  
"It's your grandfather, he had a heart attack."  
  
*****  
  
It's over now…  
  
Kazuha looked at the frail body lying on the hospital bed, his chest rising and lowering slowly. Her grand-mother sat in the chair on the other side of the bed, holding her grandfather's gnarled hand. She raised the hand and placed it lovingly against her wrinkled cheek. Without a warning, a sob escaped from her mouth and a tear trickled down her cheek.  
  
Kazuha was stumped. Her emotionless grandmother was no longer so, in the face of fear of losing her loved one, she had discarded her mask and was now showing her true self. Something swelled in Kazuha and a sob unexpectedly burst out of her.  
  
She went to the grandmother's side and knelt besides her. For the first time in her life, Kazuha wrapped her arms around another person and said softly, "It's going to be alright."  
  
*****  
  
It was half past nine and her grandmother was fast asleep in her chair, her head laid on the bed and still holding her husband's hand.  
  
I guess this is it, the time for me to be moved to yet another aunt or uncle. She looked at her grandparents and a ghost of a smile appeared briefly. They're too old to even take care of themselves, let alone taking care of me. I guess this scare probably made them realised that.  
  
She wrapped her arms around herself and looked out the window.  
  
But I now have basketball.  
  
Without the Shohoku team it wouldn't mean much - a voice whispered inside her.  
  
It will, she argued. I'll make it matter.  
  
She let out a sigh and picked up her bag. With a last glance towards the occupants of the bed, she headed home to packed up her stuff. 


	4. Chp 4

This chapter is dedicated to Alexia, my first reviewer - thank you for your reviews! (Author is crying shamelessly in happiness TT)  
  
  
  
A NEW BEGINNING  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The team was in a subdued mood. It had been three days since Kazuha was called away and she hadn't come to school or practice ever since.  
  
Where is she? The aisu never missed practice, wondered Sakuragi.  
  
Bonk! A ball hit his head. "Hey! Watch where you throw that thing! The tensai might get hurt you know!"  
  
"With that head of yours? I doubt it. Anyway, you should be concentrating - we're going to have a big game, remember?" replied Miyagi in sarcastic tone.  
  
Two gori punch landed on their head. "We have no time for fights, practice! Practice! Practice!" Akagi boomed.  
  
"Bakayarou," Rukawa muttered in passing.  
  
"Nani!"  
  
And so practice continued. But the team kept losing their concentration.  
  
"What's wrong with everyone?!" Akagi shouted in exasperation.  
  
"I dunno boss, but it just seems that… well… how can I put this… Something's missing!" Mitsui let out.  
  
"Yeah! Something's not quite right." Miyagi seconded.  
  
"It's the Aisu!" Sakuragi finally voiced out everyone's concern.  
  
"I should have known. Look, I know all of you are worried about her, but can't you push that aside for a while?"  
  
"Look who's talking." Commented Rukawa. Akagi turned a shade of red.  
  
"Well," Ayako tapped her chin with her fan, "Why don't we just get this over and done with. Cancel practice for today and go find out what's wrong."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Ho ho ho, a good idea Ayako-san." Anzai sensei interrupted.  
  
"That settles it then, those who want to come with me get ready in about five minutes."  
  
*****  
  
They arrived at Kazuha's grandparents' home a bit later than they expected. When everyone was ready, it appeared that nobody knew where she lived. Even Haruko, who had taken Kazuha to be her newest role model, didn't know.  
  
"Hoi kitsune! Wake up!" Rukawa opened a slit of an eye. He had fallen asleep standing while waiting for the others. The gundam was also there, he noted.  
  
"Maybe we can ask the people who came in the general area where she lives, I know for a fact that she always come to school from the west side of town," Ayako suggested after a few minutes of brainstorming.  
  
"I know where she lives."  
  
"What! How come you know?!" Sakuragi fumed as it appeared that Rukawa had once again got the limelight.  
  
"Passed it everyday."  
  
"Okay then, let go!"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
They stood in front of the old house, unsure what to do next. Someone pushed Ayako towards the door. She turned and glared at the perpetrator, Sakuragi. "Go ahead Ayako, it was your idea."  
  
"Coward."  
  
"Nani! I'll show you!" Hook, line and sinker, he fell for it. Sakuragi pushed his way forward and rang the bell a few times.  
  
The door opened. Kazuha stood at the threshold, her surprise quickly masked by indifference. She tilted her head slightly in question.  
  
"May-may we come in?"  
  
She opened the door wider and led them into a rather small but cozy livingroom. It was a tight squeeze, but somehow all of them managed to fit into it. "I'll make tea."  
  
"No! I mean don't bother." Ayako quickly forestalled her. "We-we-" she looked at Akagi, he nodded in reply, she took a deep breath and rushed, "We came here to know if you're allright since you didn't come to school for the past three days and if there's anything we can do to help."  
  
Kazuha was silent for a while before replying, "I may be moved to another relative and transfered to another school."  
  
There was a collective "What!" and Haruko was beginning to sniffle. She turned to the nearest person in search of comfort. Yohei, the person next to her was surprised but he enveloped her in a hug as the sniffles turned to tears. He looked at Sakuragi to see his reaction but Sakuragi was staring intensely at Kazuha, his fingers balling into fists.  
  
"But, Kazuha-chan why? We thought you're happy here," Ayako asked the question that was in everyone's mind.  
  
"My grandfather had a stroke. My grandmother had enough in her hands as it is without me," she answered.  
  
"Maybe we can help-" Haruko started but was cut short by a sharp "No!"  
  
Kazuha took a deep breath, " It's my problem. I'll handle it myself."  
  
"Well, if that's what you want, we can't stop you. Come on guys - there's nothing else we can do."  
  
They left one by one, all looking back at her expecting her to change her mind. She stared at the floor wishing they would leave quickly before she done something she never did - burst into tears. Rukawa didn't leave, instead he approached her.  
  
"Baka."  
  
She snapped her head back up. Her eyes glistening with tears but they didn't fall. Her face immediately composed itself into the usual stoic expression she always wore. She looked at him cooly, "What do you want?"  
  
"Baka."  
  
She didn't reply.  
  
"They care about you, even the do'aho Sakuragi. But you didn't even seem to care. If that's the sort of person you are, you don't deserve them."  
  
He turned to leave but stopped when he heard a small sound. " I don't want to leave." He looked back at her and this time, her voice was stronger and full of conviction, "I don't want to leave."  
  
He smiled briefly and said, but this time with amusement, "Baka."  
  
He left.  
  
*****  
  
Sakuragi was leaning outside the door when Rukawa came out. "What did she say, Kitsune?"  
  
"She doesn't want to leave." He walked away.  
  
A slow smile spread on Sakuragi's face. I knew you wouldn't Aisu, you belong here.  
  
He whistled. 


	5. Chp 5

A NEW BEGINNING  
  
Chapter 5  
  
  
  
"I think I now know why she played basketball." Ayako said out of the blue. She was walking home with Shohoku basketball team from their visit to Kazuha. Sakuragi and Rukawa, who they had left behind, had joined them a few minutes ago. The others looked at her.  
  
"She's basically a person, with normal human emotions. I think that after all these years, all her emotions - anger, sadness, everything - were just about to burst out of the dam she built. I don't think she had ever truly let go and express whatever she felt. She's at the end of her rope when we met her."  
  
"So?" this from Sakuragi, Miyagi and Mitsui.  
  
"Soooo when we introduced basketball to her, it provides her with an outlet to release everything that was dammed up for so long inside her. I think that she uses all her pent-up feelings and forms them into an endless source of energy for basketball."  
  
"What?" asked Sakuragi, lost. The others too, except for Rukawa and Akagi, looked dumbfounded at her logic.  
  
"In other words, using basketball as an outlet for all her unexpressed feelings. " Ayako sighed as they nodded in understanding. "Hey! That's the woman that picked up Kazuha the other day - she must be the grandmother!" Ayako hurried towards the lone figure wearing kimono. The others followed.  
  
*****  
  
Kazuha stared at the door. "I don't want to leave."  
  
Not again. Not ever. This is my home.  
  
"I will not leave."  
  
She looked at her tightly fisted hands and clenched them harder before relaxing them. She wiped away her unshed tears and stood up in a forceful motion.  
  
"I will not leave."  
  
This is the first time I've ever felt as if I belong. I belong here. I belong!  
  
Without another thought, she rushed out of the house, fully intending to tell her newfound friends she will not leave without a fight. She knew at long last that they will stand by her side and support whatever decision she made.  
  
*****  
  
"Errr hello, you probably don't remember me but-"  
  
"You're Kazuha's friend, aren't you?"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"Well, is there anything I can help?" the old woman asked, looking at Ayako's expectant face.  
  
"Well… anou… ," she took a deep breath and bowed at the surprise of everyone. "We appeal on your compassion and heart to not to move Kazuha to another relative and school." By the time she ended, everybody was bowing also.  
  
"But… what made you think so?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"I never intended to move Kazuha anywhere. Where did you get that idea?"  
  
"Why, from Kazuha herself."  
  
"Aiii, I should have known. Silly girl, so distrustful of everything and everyone. It was me and my husband's fault, I guess. I can see now that she's a different person from her parents, she's an individual of her own with her own personality." She went quite for a moment, her eyes had a faraway look in them. "I realised that when she comforted me at the hospital, she had shown me that she loves us in her own way. There's no way I'm going to let her go!" The old lady said vehemently, tears trickling down her cheeks.  
  
"Obaasan (grandmother)…" They turned, startled at the sight of a panting and sweating Kazuha behind them. Apparently, she had run all the way to catch up with them.  
  
"You silly, silly girl…" The old woman moved towards Kazuha at the same time the girl moved towards her obaasan. They ended up hugging each other tightly. The woman was crying shamelessly while for Kazuha, although she didn't cry, a sheen of tears appeared which she refused to shed.  
  
Ayako and Haruko wiped theirs eyes. The boys looked away, their faces getting red at witnessing the tearful scene. Miyagi sniffed. The corner's of Rukawa's lips lifted just for a moment. And Sakuragi sighed to himself, just like the Aisu to stir up trouble for nothing.  
  
After everyone had composed themselves, Kazuha and her grandmother bowed at the them and they bowed back in reply.  
  
"Arigato everyone - for everything." Kazuha's obaasan thanked them.  
  
"It was nothing. After all what are friends for?" Ayako pulled Kazuha into an embrace and soon they were engulfed in a group hug.  
  
"You will be coming to school tomorrow, aren't you Kazuha-chan? And practice too?" asked Haruko.  
  
Kazuha shrugged, already falling back to her old self. Everyone sighed in relief.  
  
Looks like things had gone back to normal.  
  
END.  
  
(For now) 


End file.
